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To the SMU Community,

As we work together to adapt to changes in our work and personal lives related to COVID-19, job one is maintaining the health of our community as we continue with the mission of educating our students. Decisions we make today may be revisited tomorrow as circumstances change, but we want to share with you what we know when we know it – as quickly and as efficiently as possible.  Please use this site to catch up on the latest general announcements from the Office of the President and other University administrators.  The FAQ’s are grouped in sections specific to students, faculty, staff and alumni to help direct you to your area of concern or interest.  You will find useful links to pages that our Office of Information and Technology has developed to explain the various types of technology we can use to keep learning, teaching and working.

Thank you and stay healthy.

R. Gerald Turner, President

Latest Updates

• President’s Task Force for a Healthy Opening Fall 2020April 27, 2020
  SMU is committed to reopening the campus as quickly as possible, while protecting the health of our University community and allowing for safe learning, working, living and socializing. To that end, SMU must have data-informed policies and procedures in place as early as midsummer that leverage the best available testing and/or screening for COVID-19, along … Read more
• SMU adapts to challenges created by COVID-19April 23, 2020
  Dear Campus Community, Anyone walking across our beautiful campus is struck by how quiet it is. What is not visible is the increased activity behind the scenes as we work to educate our students online while adapting to the serious challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the country, many families and individuals are facing … Read more
• Dallas County Issues Instructions for Face CoveringsApril 17, 2020
  Dear faculty and staff, Beginning Saturday, April 18, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins is instructing everyone in Dallas County over the age of two, to the greatest extent possible, to wear a fabric covering over their mouth and nose when patronizing an essential business or riding public transportation (which includes DART, taxis, Uber and Lyft.) … Read more
• A message from R. Gerald Turner to alumni and friendsApril 16, 2020
  Dear Mustang Family: The global spread of COVID-19 is affecting all of us – the way we learn, live, work and play. I wanted to update you on how we continue to approach this situation at SMU.  First, we hope that you and your families remain safe and healthy. Our hearts go out to those … Read more
• SMU keeps going – volume 2April 15, 2020
  Dear SMU Faculty, Staff and Students, Thank you again for working so hard to maintain SMU’s vibrancy and operations during this unique time. Members of our SMU community continue to show creativity and innovation in their teaching, learning and working as we face the challenges of COVID-19. In addition to making the most of online … Read more
• Credit adjustments for housing, dining and parkingApril 15, 2020
  Dear student, We miss you and the buzz of activity you bring to our beautiful campus. I hope you and your family are staying healthy and your studies are going well during this time. The resilience and flexibility you are showing during the COVID-19 pandemic reflect the strength and character of our student body. Thank … Read more
• SMU keeps going – volume 1April 8, 2020
  Dear SMU Community, Thank you for your flexibility, patience and commitment to the mission of SMU during this time. This is the first of regular updates to help connect the SMU community in a time of social distancing. I hope everyone has seen the recent announcements: the postponement of Commencement ceremonies to August 15, a … Read more
• Updates from SMU Staff AssociationApril 7, 2020
  Dear Staff Colleagues,  As you all know life on campus has been severely disrupted. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the professionalism and dedication of the SMU staff in providing uninterrupted service to our students and the broader SMU community. The University continues to fulfill its mission, with some staff required to be … Read more
• SMU May and June classes move onlineApril 6, 2020
  Dear Faculty, Students, and Staff: As the continuation of health and travel restrictions related to COVID-19 remains uncertain for the coming months, SMU has decided to move May and June term classes online. Enrollment for May and June classes for current SMU students opens Monday, April 13, and the priority enrollment deadline is Friday, April … Read more
• SMU Alert: An important message regarding a COVID-19 case.April 2, 2020
  SMU Alert: COVID-19 April 2, 2020 SMU has been notified that an employee of the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center on the University campus has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee was tested Tuesday, April 1, received the positive results today, April 2, and will self-isolate for the next two weeks. The potential for contact … Read more
• Announcing new date for SMU Commencement 2020April 2, 2020
    Please watch this message from Dr. Turner announcing a postponement of SMU’s spring commencement to Saturday, August 15, 2020. Although the ceremony date is moving, you will still receive your degree on May 16th. Transcripts with your degree will be available in early June and your diploma will be mailed to you.
• Letter to Undergraduate Students on Spring 2020 Temporary Grading PolicyApril 2, 2020
  Dear SMU Undergraduate Students: I hope you are adjusting to your studies online in response to efforts to keep our campus community as safe as possible during the COVID outbreak. We received many emails and calls from you requesting that we modify our grading policies because of this unusual semester. After carefully consulting with faculty, … Read more
• SMU will extend its “essential personnel only” status through April 30April 1, 2020
  Dear SMU Faculty and Staff, Following the guidance of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s latest executive order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, SMU will extend its “essential personnel only” status through April 30, allowing most of our faculty and staff to continue working remotely. We miss seeing all of you on campus, but I am … Read more
• Dean Quick: Continued Support and Additional Resources for Graduate Studies During Reduced OperationsApril 1, 2020
  Dear Graduate Students, These are difficult times for all of us, and graduate students face their own set of challenges different from those of other SMU students.  I am writing, therefore, to assure you that the Office of Research and Graduate Studies is working closely with your schools and programs to ensure that you continue … Read more
• COVID-19 update from the Dr. Bob Smith Health CenterMarch 30, 2020
  Hello Mustangs,  We understand that this is a very stressful and confusing time. Please know that our staff here at the Dr. Bob Smith Health Center are still here working hard to support both your physical and mental well-being. We will remain OPEN Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. to provide care for students both … Read more
• Three SMU students positive for COVID-19: All tested during Spring Break, none currently on campusMarch 25, 2020
  Dear SMU Community, Because we are committed to doing all that we can to help keep our University population healthy, we are sharing information that three of our students, none currently on campus, have tested positive for COVID-19. All three students were tested after leaving campus for Spring Break. The first student, a graduate student … Read more
• A message from R. Gerald Turner to alumni and friendsMarch 24, 2020
  Dear Mustang Family: We hope that you, your family, and your loved ones remain safe and healthy during this unprecedented time. Responding to the rapid and relentless expansion of COVID-19 has challenged us all. As I see our faculty and staff prepare for this first full week of online instruction and remote working, I am … Read more
• SMU suspends all University–sponsored and/or sanctioned international travelMarch 24, 2020
  Please note latest updates reflect more flexible travel guidelines. Following federal and local guidelines recommended to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), SMU is suspending all university-sponsored and/or sanctioned international travel. Students (undergraduates and graduate students) as well as faculty and staff members currently studying or working abroad are requested to return to the … Read more
• SMU Classes Move Online Through End of Spring SemesterMarch 20, 2020
  Dear SMU Community, Each day we evaluate the challenging issues created by COVID-19 and work diligently to make the best possible decisions for all of us. To align with declarations from federal, state and Dallas County health authorities, SMU is moving all classes online for the remainder of the spring semester. We also are reducing … Read more
• Faculty Guidelines for Online LearningMarch 18, 2020
  Dear Colleagues: As you prepare your classes for online instructional delivery, let me remind you about the Online Academic Continuity Webinars facilitated this week by experienced academic support professionals from OIT, CTE, the libraries, and faculty mentors.  Sessions are scheduled on Wednesday, March 18, until 9 p.m. and on Thursday, March 19 from 9 a.m. … Read more
• Reduced Campus OperationsMarch 17, 2020
  Dear faculty and staff, In consultation with the President’s Executive Council, I have decided to move the University to “reduced operations” status until April 6 to responsibly care for our campus population in response to the spread of COVID-19. We will monitor developments in the days ahead and will revisit the possible extension of this … Read more
• Research continuity updateMarch 16, 2020
  Dear Colleagues, As SMU takes precautions to respond to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), I’d like to offer additional information on how to continue our academic work and protect our research during this unusual period. The move to online instruction for the two weeks after Spring Break and other cautionary actions announced in Dr. Turner’s March 12 … Read more
• Health update for faculty and staffMarch 15, 2020
  Dear faculty and staff, It’s been a challenging weekend as we all have been navigating the closures, delays and anxiety associated with the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). As we head back to work tomorrow, I want to reaffirm the University’s commitment to your health. Remember that maintaining social distance between you and your co-workers is … Read more
• Online instruction updateMarch 13, 2020
  Dear Colleagues: In response to the university’s decision to instruct students online during the two weeks following SMU’s Spring Break, the Office of Information Technology (OIT), the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), and SMU Libraries are developing a plan to prepare and equip our faculty for this transition. All faculty are expected to be proficient … Read more
• SMU suspends all non-essential University-sponsored or sanctioned domestic travelMarch 13, 2020
  Dear SMU staff and faculty, We have all been working hard to meet the needs of our students during this extraordinary time, and I want to thank you for everything you have done and continue to do as we adjust to the changing demands of this crisis. You are the heart of the University, and … Read more
• SMU to temporarily move classes online after Spring BreakMarch 12, 2020
  Dear SMU community, Due to rapidly changing issues related to the spread of Coronavirus, SMU will move students from classrooms to online instruction for the first two weeks following Spring Break, beginning Monday, March 23.  The University is requesting that as many students as is possible leave the residence halls during Spring Break and remain … Read more
• Continuity update from Dr. TurnerMarch 11, 2020
  Dear SMU community, I want each member of the SMU community to know that I appreciate your work during this period of uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus. Our goal is clear – to fulfill the mission of educating our students while limiting the risk of spreading COVID-19 on our campus. Please have patience as we thoughtfully … Read more
• Letter from President Turner – Coronavirus updateMarch 10, 2020
  Dear SMU community,  The spread of the Coronavirus, COVID-19, is top of mind for all of us, and I’d like to reassure you that SMU is working at every level to protect both the health and academic progress of our campus community.  These preparations include prevention information being distributed by the Dr. Bob Smith Health … Read more
• Contingency plans for teachingMarch 10, 2020
  As SMU continues to closely monitor the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), it is essential that faculty prepare for potential disruptions to the campus community. The information contained herein will aid departments throughout the university to develop contingency plans to minimize the possible impact to our day-to-day operations and academic schedule. I am urging all faculty members to be proactive in anticipating the possible effect on your courses and students … Read more
• Faculty and staff may petition for research travel abroadMarch 10, 2020
  The spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) presents a dynamic situation in regard to international travel.  Based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and input from local and state health authorities, on Monday, March 2, SMU officials made the decision to suspend all SMU-sponsored and/or sanctioned faculty, staff, and student international travel and recall … Read more
• Personal travel advisoryMarch 5, 2020
  As you make personal travel plans, including for Spring Break, it is important to clarify that the University will not attempt to monitor or regulate the personal travel of our students, faculty or staff. The restrictions in place only pertain to University-sponsored and/or sanctioned international travel in response to the Coronavirus. Those who do travel … Read more
• Travel advisoryFebruary 3, 2020
  SMU is following the Centers for Disease Control recommendation that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to China due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus. The U.S. State Department has issued a “Do not travel to China” warning and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has imposed restrictions on all passenger flights coming into the United States carrying individuals who have recently traveled from … Read more
• Health advisory – staying safe from the CoronavirusJanuary 25, 2020
  Student Health Services is closely monitoring an outbreak of a potentially severe respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus first detected in Wuhan City, China in December.  While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that the immediate health risk of this new coronavirus to the general American public is low, SMU’s Student Health Services … Read more
• Update on CoronavirusFebruary 27, 2020
  SMU has been closely monitoring the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) that began in China and has now sparked outbreaks around the world. This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautioned that it expects the coronavirus to begin spreading at a community level in the United States. The Texas Department of Health advises that the risk … Read more